DO. THRIVE. GROW.

Surely, you want to begin working from home for reasons like;

• You want to have a career and witness your kids’ milestones at the same time
• You dread the painful commute to work
• You heard of the $$$ you can earn by freelancing
• You want to achieve work-life balance and not be tied to your 9-5 job
• You want to become your own boss

There’s plenty more, but these are the most common reasons you will get from newbie freelancers.

While it is true that above motivations are achievable through work-from-home freelancing, what many fail to talk about are the challenges one may need to face to get started, thrive, and grow.

• Multitasking can be counterproductive, and a major cause of stress
• Freelancing can also mean remote work, which may still require you to report to a physical office from time to time
• Freelancing is not a get-rich-quick scheme, so you gotta put in the work to earn the money you need to support your lifestyle
• Working from home can be an 8-hour graveyard shift
• You still report to a boss, you just call him a client

All these, and we have yet to add that it may also prove difficult to find your first client, and challenging to chance upon a regular freelancing gig that will give you constant stream of income.

So, how did I manage to stay in the business for more than a decade?

Well, for starters, I had help. I started working online as a freelance writer for agencies on and off Upwork. Through them, I got to test the waters and learn the ropes of freelancing. My projects with them didn’t really pay much and were short-term, but the experience was enough to launch my career as a freelancer. I started with a client from Craigslist, which got me the relevant work experience I needed to show to my first Upwork client. Both these first clients were Filipino owned and managed SEO agencies. I am forever grateful for their trust and for the role they played in my story, my freelance journey. It is through them that I got to take the first crucial step to DO something new, even if it meant taking risks and being different. 

Second, I have discovered and developed several processes and strategies to (1) find clients, (2) stay relevant, and (3) stay happy in the work I do. You’d be surprised how much you will learn from clients and online communities. We really should be intentional in listening and finding cues/opportunities. Also, being happy in doing goes a long way in helping us THRIVE. Find those little sources of joy and bliss in your days working from home. Romanticize life!

Finally, I found clarity in how I’d like to GROW as a work-from-home professional. You will see a pattern on the types of projects you do, and what you enjoy helping with throughout your freelance career— this is how you will figure out how you are to do this for the long run. Many choose to continue with their freelance practice, some choose to become a coach— I choose to build an Upwork Agency. There is fulfillment in jumpstarting freelance careers, and I will get to talk about this in future blog posts.

Work-from-home freelancing afforded me a life many can just imagine and dream about especially in the early years of freelancing in the Philippines.

• I got to witness my kids' milestones (except for the 9th birthday of my firstborn because I was out and about traveling the country for a freelance project in 2018. I hired a Social Media Assistant, and worked from my laptop in this phase of my career). 
• I avoided remote work that required regular office meetings (I was offered one by a local company in 2016). You’d eventually reach a point when you get to choose projects that align with your goals and lifestyle. 
• Found a way to GROW my time, and along with it, our household income.
• I became my own boss (of sort) with the basic DO, THRIVE, GROW formula
• I got to set my hours.

Now that the future of work has arrived; a realistic picture to set realistic expectations is a must to help newbie remote workers, freelancers, and work-from-home professionals get started and journey on with intention to not just earn a quick buck, but to build a life of their own choosing and design. It is a blessing that’s now available to you, too. What you choose to do with it is entirely up to you.